I’m searching for the words…a “capsule collection”????

That seems almost rude. Read below, you’ll discover why. It’s a good story, promise.

You know the sensation. You enter a darkened, maybe even unfamiliar room, and instinctively your hand reaches out to feel the side of the wall. You move it along slowly, finding nothing maybe you try another wall. And eventually, as you suspected, you will find a light switch.

When Gabriel (you read his stories here about food and music), discovered a property being developed by a family in Castellana Grotte, Italy, it grabbed his attention. They were interested in creating a place for people to stay that would be heartfelt and truly special, and grappling for words how to describe it. Their newly designed property is presented as “Not a hotel….not a Masseria….not a resort.” A lot of “nots” were relied upon to communicate their vision. That rang familiar and we felt a sort of kinship as a result. We had struggled at Tibi years ago with the frustration of trying to depict who we were as a brand using the limited language of the fashion industry. We were not….bohemian, nor modernist, nor minimalist, nor classicist….we just “were.” But “were” does not suffice, because to be able to communicate, to settle the mind, it helps to understand not who you aren’t, but what you are. We created the term Creative Pragmatist to do just that. Once we did, it settled us, in the way you feel when you’ve finally mastered a language. We could communicate.

For the Longo family, it was one word, “Casa.”

Gabriel reached out to Francesca Longo, the daughter and visual mastermind behind the property. “Would you be interested in speaking about how Tibi could partner, in some way, with Casa Caroseno?” Francesca, less than a day later: “Yes, yes we would.” “What do you have in mind, she asked?” We responded: “Not sure, let’s talk.” Francesca: “Va bene.”

And we did, the next day.

It’s certain to say that we didn’t figure out immediately what we would do together, but we did quickly establish that there were ample reasons why we should do something together. But most importantly, we gave ourselves space to feel along the wall, not knowing exactly where the switch was, uncertain if there even was one. But when everything makes sense, that it’s likely to be there, you allow yourself to explore a bit. You’re doing it with purpose, but without a script.

We brought in our head of design Traci to show her photos of the property and described the location as “near Puglia - but not a beach destination!” And, importantly, to discuss the cast of characters that birthed the place. The father Giovanni, the chef and big personality at the restaurant, the brother Giuseppe, and of course Nonna, the eternal source of inspiration. Francesca spoke of Nonna often when describing the emotional cues of the property:

“warm, honest, hardworking, thoughtful”

These aren’t typical ways one describes a property or a capsule collection for that matter. But for Traci, the photos and these words were all she needed. Tapping into the luxury cotton fabrications of Borghi, 1819, one of Italy’s oldest and richest historical textile mills, was the first step. Just like the food in Giovanni’s Osteria, when the ingredients are pure, simple and the best, then an amazing outcome comes with just an innovative twist and a forthright perspective. Oversized shirts that can be manipulated to become an ultimate vacation staple when no more than a good novel and a soft breeze is on the agenda. Matching boxer shorts give the shirts extended life, creating a full look that gets played up or down, depending on the occasion. We were told of Nonna’s cherry stained dresses, picking and pitting the fruit they call “red gold” and thought an interesting update, that could be worn by all, would be a take on a utility jumpsuit. Something soft enough to throw on without much thought, but high functioning able to get the job done while just looking chic, in that unintentional way I’ve always associated with the Italian aesthetic.

Francesca: “But we don’t have a store, how will we offer the collection?”

Tibi team: “We’ll figure that out. Maybe some will hang in the wardrobe at the Casa. We’ll find other ways to show the items. Maybe we will come to Castellana Grotte and create a campaign.”

We started making plans for a shoot. Do we bring out models? Or hire local? Sarah said local for sure, “but how many —- it’s just a handful of pieces, does this make sense?” Francesca sent us pictures of the village, the locales where we could shoot. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill locale scouting of cobblestoned streets and weathered terra cotta walls Sarah was used to receiving. Instead, Francesca sent us images of the farmers market, the glistening stonecutters factory, the fields with grazing cattle that contribute to some of the best cheese on the planet, and the powdered interior of the mill that grinds the flour underlying the creations from the famed pizza oven at Casa.

Each place Francesca showed us came with not a geographical description but one of the humans there and the role they played in creating the project. Sometimes when we come to a creative decision, it takes cajoling of team members, imploring each other to see the vision. But this one? Amongst our team, it was immediately evident. This was not your typical campaign shoot, allowing for a day of casting models and fittings. This would be a small team, a camera for shooting and recording, and we’d plan each day as follows:

Day 1: Pack duffle bag of collection, toss in car trunk, and visit Francesca’s family and local spots where incredible things are created. Day 2: Repeat. Day 3: Repeat.

Here’s how it went down. You can imagine the awkwardness when you meet someone for the first time, you don’t speak the language, and you’re asking (gesticulating) for them that you not only want to take their picture but they should grab a piece from your trunk and just “wear as you would”. Now, take what you imagined and erase it. The cattle farmer Michele eagerly grabbed the jumper, hopped on his tractor joined by one of the many farm cats, and got to work modeling. His father Francesco donned the baby blue shirt, the business man of the farm, a bit more serious. He set about back to work until we could round him up for a father son portrait.

At the flour mill, Francesco casually tied his shirt around his waist and got back to business, flour dotting his head, his arms and now his baby blue shirt; his partner a bit more traditional in the striped version, the matching shorts hung casually and completely at home on their walls.

The carpenter and marble artisans that played an instrumental role in the beauty of Casa got to work without hesitation in their pieces, the overalls casually tied around the waist before slicing into the dense stone or donned as one giant wipe cloth for carpenter dust.

Pepe the local farm owner that helps oversee the land, the “villager of interest” with walls covered in self portraits, the prideful maitre’d are all vested in the Longo family’s success. When one wins, all win here.

And Nonna the “inspirer”, and the chef father Giovanni, completely at ease, at one point using his richly tailored cotton shirt as an oven mitt to remove freshly baked bread from the oven. I talk a lot about using your clothes, making them work for you. This though? This was new for me, and I loved it.

It was almost as if every day someone shows up at their door, offers them something to wear, and tells them to put it on and go about their day. Naturally. As if we’ve all known each other forever and this is just typical.

Here’s our team of Tibi at work, pausing for lunch, Francesca setting the table and posing in the Casa’s archway in her overalls; Giuseppe through the kitchen window making pizzas for all. The recipe for his lemon, mint white pie to come.

And the collection, on a breezy evening here at the Casa, looking very at home.

We have no idea where this project will take us, but we’re in no hurry to figure it out. When the right people have been put together, you know you can confidently, and slowly, feel your way around. Something really good will come of this, and in fact, if I’ve been able to convey one tenth of how we felt visiting this wonderful place, you’ll realize something already has. It’s all up from here.

You can view Il Caroseno here and the collection coming this week at Tibi. Ok?